uid=HFR,o=lter,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org all public read doi:10.6073/pasta/963eab624f7936115a89122c39e3bc77 David Foster https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1171-3762 Betsy Von Holle https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3116-3027 Tim Parshall Robert Eberhardt Researcher Brian Hall Researcher Jon Harrod Researcher Dana MacDonald Researcher Glenn Motzkin Researcher 2023 English

The widespread influence of land use and natural disturbance on population, community, and landscape dynamics and the long-term legacy of disturbance on modern ecosystems requires that a historical, broad-scale perspective become an integral part of modern ecological studies and conservation assessment and planning. In previous studies, the Harvard Forest Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program has developed an integrated approach of paleoecological and historical reconstruction, meteorological modeling, air photo interpretation, GIS analyses, and field studies of vegetation and soils, to address fundamental ecological questions concerning the rates, direction, and causes of vegetation change, to evaluate controls over modern species and community distributions and landscape patterns, and to provide critical background for conservation and restoration planning. In the current study, we extend this approach to investigate the link between landscape history and the abundance, distribution, and dynamics of species, communities and landscapes of the Cape Cod to Long Island coastal region, including the islands of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Block Island. The study region includes many areas of high conservation priority that are linked geographically, historically, and ecologically. Despite the compelling rationale for examining this coastal region as a whole and for comparing its related, though distinctive geographic areas, an integrated and comprehensive study of the region has never been undertaken. We are investigating regional controls over landscape patterns and community distribution and will focus in detail on the dynamics of sandplain communities, including grasslands, heathlands, barrens, and woodlands, which are unique components of this region and high priorities for conservation. In order to determine the historical and modern abundance and distribution of these community types, and to relate these to historical patterns of land use, fire, windstorms and other disturbances, we are developing: (1) GIS-based, spatially explicit maps of land use, land cover, environment, hurricane characteristics, and cultural features across the region for the historical period (17th C to present), (2) pollen and charcoal diagrams for critical areas where data are currently unavailable and an integrated analysis of data from all studies across this region, (3) analysis of the relationship between high priority communities (sandplain grasslands, heathlands, barrens, and related communities), rare species, and disturbance history, (4) revised conceptual ecological models for sandplain communities and recommendations for ecological goals and management approaches.

forest disturbance land use soil chemistry vegetation dynamics LTER controlled vocabulary inorganic nutrients disturbance land use human-environment LTER core area Harvard Forest HFR LTER USA HFR default

This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.

Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html CC0-1.0 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/exist/apps/datasets/showData.html?id=hf044 Southern New England Coast, New York Coast. Coordinates based on WGS84 datum. -74.0 -70.1 +42.0 +40.7 0 118 meter 1600 2001 complete Information Manager Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 hf-im@lists.fas.harvard.edu Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu

The data file lists all taxa recorded in the sample plots. Taxonomy follows Gleason and Cronquist (1991). In general, codes are formed by taking the first four letters of the genus name and the first three letters of the species name. Where this causes confusion, an eight letter code unique to each taxon is used.

Plots are identified by a general location code (2-3 letters) and a plot number (1-999). These two identifiers are also combined into a single six-character code. Because the plots were sampled from a larger set of potential plot locations, plot numbers are not necessarily sequential. Total number of plots = 776 (270 in 1999, 389 in 2000, 117 in 2001).

For plots sampled in 1999 (CJ series), the two pairs of 0-15 and 15-30 cm samples were subsampled (1/8 cup per sample) and combined to make a single composite sample representing the plot, which was then sent to Brookside Labs. For plots sampled in 2000, only one set of 0-15 and 15-30 cm samples was collected, and ¼ cup of each was mixed to produce a composite 0-30 cm sample sent for analysis. In some samples, concentrations of certain cations were below the detection limit of the analytical equipment; in these cases, concentrations are listed as “less than x ppm.” Before the soils data can be analyzed quantitatively, these entries will need to be replaced by numerical values. There are no lab soils data for two plots sampled in 2000 (MT 50 and PB 14).

Cover of all vascular plant species rooted within the 20 x 20 m plot (also total lichen and bryophyte cover) was estimated on an eight-point scale.

Diameters of all live trees at least 2.5 cm dbh and all standing dead stems at least 10 cm dbh were measured in all plots. Only truly arboreal species were measured; shrubs such as scrub oak and viburnum were not, although individuals of these species routinely exceeded 2.5 cm dbh.

One to three cores of the largest sound trees were sampled in plots with trees greater than 5 cm dbh. Cores were taken at 30 cm above the ground. Most cores were mounted, sanded, and counted under a hand lens or microscope. Some cores of young trees were counted in the field and not collected.

Harvard Forest

324 North Main Street Petersham MA 01366 USA

(978) 724-3302 (978) 724-3595 https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu https://ror.org/059cpzx98 pointOfContact The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210. hf044-01-species-list.csv species list hf044-01-species-list.csv 12982 1fcec6551f9c39c19088c5c31ba5ae91 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-01-species-list.csv code species code species code genus genus name genus name species species name species name notes field notes field notes 429 hf044-02-plots.csv plot locations hf044-02-plots.csv 897 308ba5b3dece9fcd8fa44d3a12017818 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-02-plots.csv code location code location code location region region plots number of plots sampled number 1 natural NA missing value year year sampled YYYY notes location description location description 17 hf044-03-environ.csv environment hf044-03-environ.csv 95197 2de85bd9515a6965b9f24faa13c12e46 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-03-environ.csv location location code (see plot locations) location code plot plot number plot number code plot code plot code x.g83 plot longitude in NAD83 degree 0.0001 real NA missing value y.g83 plot latitude in NAD83 degree 0.0001 real NA missing value date date of sampling (not entered for 1999 data) YYYY-MM-DD NA missing value fire evidence of fire 0 no 1 yes landuse provisional land-use classification made in the field provisional land-use classification made in the field final.landuse most conservative landuse designation plowed Clear Ap horizon. Landuse category = cultivated disturbed A horizon disturbed less than 10cm. Includes sites with non-agricultural soil disturbance, including storm overwash, military disturbance, open dunes, etc. Landuse categories = young dune, disturbed open No evidence of soil disturbance and historical maps indicated areas that were formerly open. Landuse categories = pasture, open woodlot No soil disturbance and historical maps indicate closed-canopy forest. Landuse categories = mature dune, woodland Free text (unrestricted) .* ultimate.landuse derived by comparing soils and vegetation data with the photos of soil profiles plowed Clear Ap horizon. Landuse category = cultivated disturbed A horizon disturbed less than 10cm. Includes sites with non-agricultural soil disturbance, including storm overwash, military disturbance, open dunes, etc. Landuse categories = young dune, disturbed open No evidence of soil disturbance and historical maps indicated areas that were formerly open. Landuse categories = pasture, open woodlot No soil disturbance and historical maps indicate closed-canopy forest. Landuse categories = mature dune, woodland Free text (unrestricted) .* slope slope position 1 valley/depression 2 lower slope 3 midslope 4 upper slope 5 ridge/crest 99 flat upland aspect aspect in degrees. Flat plots with no aspect were arbitrarily assigned 0. degree 1 whole NA missing value tsi terrain shape index calculated following McNab (1989) number 0.001 real NA missing value lfi landform index calculated following McNab (1993) number 0.001 real NA missing value oi.max depth of top of OI layer above top of mineral soil centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value oe.max depth of top of OE layer above top of mineral soil centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value oa.max depth of top of OA layer above top of mineral soil centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value a.max depth of top of A layer above top of mineral soil centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value a.bound A layer boundary characteristics (abbrev. of USDA terms) A layer boundary characteristics (abbrev. of USDA terms) ap presence of plow layer 0 absent 1 present e.max depth of top of E layer above top of mineral soil centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value e.bound e layer boundary characteristics (abbreviations of standard USDA terms) e layer boundary characteristics (abbreviations of standard USDA terms) surf.stone percent surface stone for entire plot percent surface stone for entire plot NA missing value gravel percent gravel in face of soil pit percent gravel in face of soil pit NA missing value cobble percent cobble in face of soil pit percent cobble in face of soil pit NA missing value stone percent stone in face of soil pit dimensionless 1 whole NA missing value notes notes. Includes unusual soil profiles. notes. Includes unusual soil profiles. 776 hf044-04-soil.csv soil chemistry hf044-04-soil.csv 62719 48a23b3c9aec763715997f4b3850e50e 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-04-soil.csv code plot code (see plot locations) plot code clay percent clay dimensionless 0.01 real NA missing value silt percent silt dimensionless 0.01 real NA missing value silt.clay percent silt clay dimensionless 0.1 real NA missing value sand percent sand dimensionless 0.1 real NA missing value tec total exchange capacity (M.E./100g) number 0.01 real NA missing value ph pH (H20 1:1) number 0.1 real NA missing value om total organic matter (% humus) total organic matter (% humus) NA missing value s.ppm soluble sulfur (ppm) number 1 natural NA missing value ee.ppm easily extractable P in ppm of P number 1 natural NA missing value ca.pct base saturation % Ca dimensionless 1 whole NA missing value mg.pct base saturation % MG dimensionless 1 real NA missing value k.pct base saturation % K base saturation % K NA missing value na.pct base saturation % Na dimensionless 1 real NA missing value b.ppm ppm minor cations ppm minor cations NA missing value fe.ppm ppm Fe number 1 natural NA missing value mn.ppm ppm Mn ppm Mn NA missing value cu.ppm ppm Cu ppm Cu NA missing value zn.ppm ppm Zn ppm Zn NA missing value al.ppm ppm Al number 1 natural NA missing value 774 hf044-05-cover.csv plant cover hf044-05-cover.csv 6644315 c0e790f6ba2ded62fd346dce495b5b8b 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-05-cover.csv plot.code plot code plot code species species code species code cover.code cover code 1 less than 1% 2 1-3% 3 3-5% 4 6-15% 5 16-25% 6 26-50% 7 51-75% 8 more than 75% 381016 hf044-06-tree-diam.csv tree diameter hf044-06-tree-diam.csv 737205 11c62d50630dcdb2e15f991a31cfb54f 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-06-tree-diam.csv location location code (see plot locations) location code plot plot number plot number code plot code plot code species species code species code tree.id tree ID number tree ID number dbh diameter centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value coppice coppice N no Y yes dead dead N no Y yes 21609 hf044-07-tree-core.csv tree core hf044-07-tree-core.csv 30178 39d33a34ed3d466dab6eaa1ee319adc6 1 \r\n column , https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/data/p04/hf044/hf044-07-tree-core.csv location location code (see plot locations) location code plot plot number plot number core core number core number species species code (see species list) species code dbh diameter centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value dbh2 diameter 2 centimeter 0.1 real NA missing value rings number of annual rings actually visible. No correction was made for cores that did not intersect the pith. number 1 natural NA missing value notes notes notes 971 community regional soil short-term measurement